


Diamonds are a Boys Best Friend

by Loraclynn



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - D.E.B.S. Fusion, Boys Kissing, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Guns, M/M, Tags May Change, Theft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:14:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loraclynn/pseuds/Loraclynn
Summary: There is a secret test hidden within the college entry exams. This test does not measure a student's aptitude at reading, writing and maths. It measures a student's innate ability to lie, cheat, fight and kill.Those who score well are recruited into a secret paramilitary academy. Some call them seducers. Some call them spies. Fools call them innocent.They call themselves Shadowhunters.
Relationships: Lydia Branwell/Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Jace Wayland
Comments: 26
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

“Good morning, Shadowhunters” Luke says calmly on the houses intercom from his remote location. A devilish grin appears on his face as he pulls out a remote control and punches a code in. The houses alarm is blaring and he starts yelling “Attention! **SHADOWHUNTERS**! Attention! Emergency alert! That means report right now! Right this second! You have no time to sleep! **GO! GO! GO**! And I mean **NOW**!

Raj is the first to scrambled out of bed, walking quickly to the others rooms to make sure they are awake and ready to go. He knocks once on Isabelle’s door and opens it "Isabelle. The world might be destroyed while you nap! Come on. Luke is freaking out. I need you guys up! Five minutes.” He just about has the door shut while he makes another comment to her “And no **_guests_** allowed upstairs.”

Isabelle tosses her duvet aside to reveal the naked body of her conquest last evening “Out” she says to him

“What?”

“Get out.” She repeats throwing his clothes at him “And take your clothes with you. I don't do laundry.”

Her guest is stumbling out her door as Raj flys by him to the next door “Let's go! I want everybody up!” He opens Simon’s door, who is frantically searching his room “Simon. Five minutes”

Simon hasn’t stopped searching his dresser “Have you seen my gun? What did I do with it?”

Raj rolls his eyes and mutters “idiot" while making his way to the ringing house phone, still shouting orders “Move it, move it! Three minutes!” He picks up the phone “Shadowhunters Raj here. Yeah hold on" Raj opens Alec’s door and tosses the phone at him “Alec, it's for you.”

Alec, scrambling to get dressed grabs the device “Hello. No. No! I'm not—" he is getting flustered trying to finish dressing while balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder “I'm not talking about this anymore.”

Raj is seriously thinking about leaving them “Let's go! Let's go, let's go! Move it, move it, move it! I don't have all day, Shadowhunters! I do not have all day! You have ten seconds...Ten!” He yells out, now standing by his car in the driveway, arms crossed over his chest, tapping his foot.

“Lydia, seriously, it's not a good time.” Alec says while hopping around trying to get his boots on

Raj continues the countdown “Nine.”

Isabelle smirks at Raj as she climbs into the back seat of his car pulling her lipstick from her bag, leaning into the front seats to use the drivers mirror to apply it perfectly

“Eight”

Alec looks around to make sure he has everything “When?! When is a good time? Never. Stop calling.”

“Five. Four. Three.”

Simon is next to make it to the car, looking at the ground instead of making eye contact with Raj, he gets in the back with Isabelle

“ALEC"

“I'm coming” he shouts as he’s running down the steps still trying to balance the phone and stuff things in his backpack “After all we've been through?! You’re kidding, right?” he says just as he makes it out the front door and to the car “Goodbye, Lydia.” He tosses the phone to a chair on the porch.

“Two, one.” Raj mumbles as he gets behind the wheel and squeals away from their house and speeds his way to the institute. Raj is flying down the street, convertible top down music blaring.

Alec is lost in thought “I broke up with Lydia.” They can’t hear him over the wind and music

Raj side eyes him “What?”

“I broke up with Lydia” he says louder Isabelle rolls her eyes

Simon seems shocked “Oh, my God! Why?”

“She was just so...” so female he thinks “boring.”

“She's an ass.” Isabelle speaks up

“I like her. I think she’s sweet.” Simon mumbles

Alec exhales as they pull into their parking space “I'm just not in love.”

“What?” the music is still too loud

“I said, I want to be in love!” He screams just as the car was shut off, everyone walking around them turning to stare

“Why are you yelling?” Raj laughs “come on, let’s get to the canteen for breakfast and briefing”

Luke is already there, working on who knows what on his iPad “Hi, Alec.”

“Hi” He says as he takes a seat at the table and gives his order to the waitress “short stack and bacon, well done.”

The rest follow suit all giving their own greetings and orders

“Hey, Mr. G” Simon says then turns to the waitress “can I get a farmer's daughter”

“Probably not" Luke mumbles under his breath then adds “don’t call me Mr. G.”

“What's up, Mr. G" Raj smiles at him then adds his order “Tofu scramble, peach smoothie, non-dairy.”

“Bonjour, Mr. G" Isabelle says with a wink “Coffee, black.”

Luke waits for the waitress to leave before tapping a few things on the iPad “We have a special guest with us this morning.” He says as he turns the screen for them to see “Mrs. Herondale.”

They all sit up a little straighter “Mrs. Herondale? She never addresses us directly!” Before they can even comprehend what is happening the woman herself appears on the screen.

“Gentlemen. Lady.”

Raj is completely flustered. This is the woman that can make or break you “I just want to say what a pleasure it is to meet you.” He says with wide eyes

“No time for pleasantries.” She cuts him off “Luke, a matter of some urgency has come to my attention. Magnus Bane is back in the States.”

“Oh, my God” Raj nearly spits his drink out

“Oh, shit” Isabelle drops the packet of sugar she was adding to her coffee

“I'm writing my thesis on him" Alec says proudly

Mrs. Herondale ignores their rants “I expect to be kept in the loop on this one. Let's show some hustle.” And with that she disconnects the video call

“I can't believe he's back.”

“Who's Magnus Babe?” Simon asks

“Magnus _Bane_.” Luke corrects “he's the last surviving member of the Bane crime syndicate. His family did battle with the Belcourts in a vicious blood feud that lasted a decade. After his father's death, he inherited the keys to his kingdom. Illegal arms-running, smuggling, gambling and his specialty, diamond theft.” Luke turns the iPad their way again and continues “he’s protected by a loyal band of mercenaries, led by this man, Jace Wayland" several old photos flash of Magnus and Jace “It is believed Magnus Bane was behind the plot to sink Australia. Three attempts have been made to apprehend him. All failed. In 2013 he went underground and has not been seen or heard from since.”

“Yikes.”

“That's not even the bad part.”

“What's the bad part?”

“No one has ever fought him and lived to tell about it.”

“So why do you think he's back in town?”

Luke taps the iPad once again to bring up another photo “Our intel suggests he's in town to meet this man. Nikolai Kaprova. Ex-KGB, now freelance assassin. They're scheduled to meet tonight, 20:00 hours. Find out what Magnus is up to. Strictly surveillance. Do not try to apprehend him yourselves. Raj, you're in charge. Alec, you're second. And, Shadowhunters? be careful.”

They all nod and Alec wonders aloud “What does a reclusive criminal mastermind want with a Russian trained killer?”

***************************

Magnus is sitting in an office with Jace going over details of his meeting tonight. His mind is else where, thinking of ways to get out of this when Jaces voice pulls him back

“Your scheduled meet is 20:00 hours”

“Where'd you find him"

“Zeda tipped us. Said he's available. He's in from Prague. Relocating stateside.”

“Assassin?”

“Check.”

“Where's the meet?”

“Les Deux Amours. Trendy, yet discreet.”

“Cancel it.”

“Why? It's all set up.”

“I don't do blind dates.”

“Well, it's not a blind date if you know what they look like.”

“Tell him I'm not coming. Say I came down with something.”

“Magnus, it's been two years. You have to get out there.”

“I am out there. I went out with that drummer, the girl that talked loud.”

“You didn't go out with her. We all went out together. Then you lied and said you had food poisoning, and you went home early.”

“Yeah, well, she talked really loud, even when you were right next to her.”

“I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to drown yourself in your little schemes to destroy the world, but you need to get over it. You were dumped.”

“I was not dumped.”

“Oh, you were dumped. Hard. And that sucks. You took time off to go to Antarctica or whatever..."

“Reykjavik. It's in Iceland.”

“But now it's time to get back in the game, Magnus. You've got a date tonight with a handsome Russian assassin and you're gonna show up.”

“Fine. Okay, I'll go. I'll be there.”

“Just promise me you'll be open.”

“Open to what?”

“Open to love.”


	2. Chapter 2

The restaurant looks more like a jail with it’s multiple floors and individual _cells_ that are meant for private dining. It’s cold and industrial, just the place one would come to hire an assassin.

The Shadowhunters sit high above the patrons of the restaurant waiting for Magnus to arrive. Raj leans closer to Alec, showing him an article in the Institutes monthly news letter “Hey, look. Look. Check this out. Mrs. Herondale is handpicking Shadowhunters for the International Bureau. I'm gonna see if I can get an interview.”

Alec didn’t even look up from his mobile or acknowledge what Raj was saying “Think Mr. Garroway would let me take time off after endgame?”

Raj narrows his eyes “What are you talking about?”

Alecs eye’s widen as he looks at Raj. Shit, he really didn’t mean to say that outloud. Oh well “I don't know. There's this art school in Barcelona”

“Art school? Seriously? Alec you're the perfect score. You could have your choice of any assignment you want after endgame.” Raj rolls his eyes but softens his voice “Who's your best friend?”

Without missing a beat Alec says with hope “You are my best friend” maybe he will understand, maybe he could tell Raj...

“And what did I say to you the very first day of academy?”

"That's my bunk, bitch."

“Okay, after I said that.”

"Shadowhunters stick together."

“Exactly. We've been through four years of hell, and now we're top squad. We're just getting to the good stuff. So you're not gonna ruin it all by going to art school. Am I right?”

“Yes. You are always right.”

Simon and Isabelle are arguing over the position of the telescopic listening device. “Simon, you need to put it here” she says while trying to grab it from him to fix it herself “Don't be an idiot for once.”

Simon lets her have it since the walkie talkie is beeping “Shadowhunters Simon speaking. Over.”

“Simon, put him on.”

Simon looks to Alec and whispers “It's Lydia.”

Alec is shaking his head “I don't wanna talk to her."

Simon gives a nod “He doesn't want to talk to you. Over.”

“Bullshit! I need to talk to him"

“Copy that. Alec, she really needs to talk to you.” Simon hands the walkie to Alec.

Isabelle is horrified “she should not call him. It is embarrassing.”

“Lydia, I told you, it's over. Over.”

“We've gotta talk.”

“I'm serious. No.”

Lydia is Suddenly next to him, startling him “Alec, we need to talk.”

“Jesus, Lydia! What are you doing here?”

“Think you guys are the only ones onto Bane? Everyone's here” Lydia says, pointing her finger in different directions “The feds are there, the CIA...”

Isabelle cuts her off, pissed off “I can't believe it! This is our stakeout! Always sticking their noses in our business. It's unbelievable!” Raj and Simon nod along to her rant

“Guys" Alec pulls their attention “Could you excuse us for a minute?” The others scoot away from them. “Why do you have to be so difficult about everything?”

“Well when my boyfriend breaks up with me after seven months for no reason you’ll excuse me if l'm a little hostile.”

Alec groans “It's not for no reason.”

“Well then give me one.”

“I just want... more.”

“More what?”

“I don't know.”

Isabelle is trying to turn the mini listening satellite towards Alec “what are they saying?"

Simon huffs “I'm not gonna spy on them” but helps with the turning of the device

Raj rolls his eyes “You _are_ a spy, dipshit.”

“Alec. Is there somebody else?”

“No. Nobody.”

“Because if there's somebody else I swear to God"

“Look, I just..”

“What? You just what Alec? Speak”

“I'm not in love with you.”

Lydia looks taken aback, then sad, then angry “Well. I guess nobody's good enough for Mr. Perfect Score.”

“Shut up!” God, why does everyone have to throw that in his face?

Lydia nods her head and squints her eyes “Oh, yeah, you'll be back.” As she leaves Alec reaches up and pinches the bridge of his nose and after a long exhale he moves back to his team.

****

Magnus is staring at the outside of the restaurant from the passenger side of his car, hoping that if he stares long and hard enough it will blow up. That would surely get him out of this date.

“You can do this.” Jace says from the drivers side

“Why is it I can hold the whole world hostage but I'm scared of going on one blind date?”

“Because love is harder than crime. Okay, now, knock them dead.” Jace tilts his head and thinks about his wording “But not really!”

“Sure.” Magnus says as he gets out of the car, straightening his clothes, determination on his face, here goes.... something.

Simon leans into to Alec “Are you okay?” All Alec can do is nod

“Hey” Isabelle whispers “He's arrived”

Raj pulls out his mini spy binoculars “Okay, we've got visual.”

Magnus walks up to the table and takes a seat “Sorry I'm late. I uh got lost.”

Nikolai puts his menu down and says in his thick accent “It is no problem. I was early.”

“I have that jumper” Simon whispers

“What?” Alec says but not taking his eyes off the table, squinting to check out the jumper

“I have the jumper he's wearing, but in taupe.”

“Really?” it’s a nice jumper Alec thinks “Where did you get it?” maybe they have it in black

“T.K. Maxx"

“No way!”

Raj shushes them “Silence!”

The waiter, who is actually CIA, arrives for their orders “I'll have the Cobb” Magnus says “And some wine...” he looks to Nikolai “Do you--? Do you want wine?”

“Vodka.” He says. Ok, Magnus thinks, at least he drinks. “Vodka. Please.”

Alec takes the bonaculers from Raj, “Wow. Magnus Bane, he’s...” he trails off. Yes that jumper, and the arms inside it, is very nice indeed

“He's what?” Raj says

“Um. Real. I never thought I'd see him in person.”

Raj agrees and nods his head “Yeah”

“They also have it in other colours” Simon, of course, is still thinking about the jumper. Raj and Alec look at Simon like he grew two heads then look to each other with a friendly smirk

“So” Magnus begins after a very long silence “you're an assassin?”

“Da"

“How's that work?"

“It's mostly freelance.”

“So you basically, what, you kill, like, whoever?”

“Sometimes maim. Maiming's more.”

“What are they saying?” Simon wonders

Isabelle speaks up “They are talking about killing and how to kill and who to kill.”

“Oh, God.” Alec moans out but not because of what Isabelle said. At that moment Magnus Bane, after sipping his wine, licked his lips.

“But I do it just to pay bills.” Nikolai says

“Really?”

“Mostly...” Nikolai pauses, then excitley adds “I want to be dancer. Like on those television shows"

Magnus smiles, a true smile, he loves dancing. Maybe, they could build off that? Who’s he kidding? This is a disaster

Lydia appears out of nowhere at Alec’s side again “Yeah. Can I have my bracelet back?”

Alec is mortified “what are you doing?"

“My dad got that bracelet when he graduated Quantico.”

“Fine. Ok" Alec says as he struggles to get the damned thing off. Lydia reaches over now their both struggling to get it off

“...the greatest dance instructor in Russia, but I can't afford to pay, so he say: "My wife is cheating on me. You kill her lover, I give you free lessons."

Magnus is fidgeting in his chair

Nikolai continues on “First man was goat farmer, so I use goat shears. Second man, he likes chickens, so I took six chickens and put in thro—” Nikolai notices the weird faces Magnus is making “What's wrong?”

“Oh, you know, I just--I'm feeling really ill. It's my stomach. I... I think I have food poisoning.” It’s his safety excuse but it always works

“Are you blowing me?” Nikolai is visibly upset

“What?” Jesus, why did he agree to this?

“Off. Are you blowing me off?”

“No, no, no.” Yes, yes, yes Magnus thinks

The bracelet on Alecs arm opens. Unfortunately neither he or Lydia catch it and it falls. It falls right into Magnus Banes wine glass. Magnus, cocks his head, picks up a spoon and dishes out the offending object. Stares at it for just a second and looks up to see where it fell from and sees the Shadowhunters, guns drawn and pointed at him. He reaches for his gun at the same time a champagne bottle is uncorked making a popping sound and Lydia fires, hitting the glass on Magnus’s table. He makes a run for it among the screaming patrons.

“Let's do this.” Raj eyes each of them and they start firing while repelling down towards their target.

Magnus and Nikolai dive behind the bar to take cover and start firing their own weapons as the Shadowhunters take cover behind an overturned table “Was it something I said?” Nikolai questions as they reload

“No. No. Look, I just.... I just got back into town, you know? And—And” And think of something damn it! “And, I just got out of this relationship...” 

“I'm not asking for relationship!”

“It's not you. You seem really nice, you do. It's me.”

Nikolai lights a cigarette, why does this keep happening to him? Maybe its him? “Baby, I can change.”

Magnus pulls the ring from a grenade and tosses it, it rolls in front of Simon “Guys....” the Shadowhunters run

"Look. I'm just not interested.” Magnus finally says. The grenade explodes, debris falls on them.

Nikolai pulls out and puts on a pair of sunglasses. Magnus slants his head in confusion and is about to ask why he puts on sunglasses when it's dark inside and outside but the sound of Nikolai reloading his guns reminds him of his current predicament. Nikolai stands, fires a few shots, tells Magnus “Then you will die alone" and he runs off.

Magnus grunts, and reloads his own weapons. He pops his head just above the bar looking for his own escape. Shit. He sits back down. One Shadowhunter is heading his way, determination on his face. But, only one. He likes those odds. Magnus stands and quickly starts making his way to the back exit while firing at the now four Shadowhunters who are firing back. He has no choice but to continue on breaking into a sprint he dives into the kitchen. He quickly dusts himself off and goes out the back door taking in his surroundings. He notices a different building and decides it's his best hope for escape.

Raj is giving his orders “Alec, Simon, head Magnus off through the kitchen. Me and Isabelle are gonna take the front. We’ll work our way towards each other”

They all nod in acknowledgement while reloading their weapons. All accept Simon “Mr. Garroway specifically ordered us not to engage him"

Raj, clearly overly annoyed with him, takes a deep breath “Simon, who here isn't gonna graduate?”

“Me.”

“Why?”

“I haven't earned my stripes.”

“Oh, would that be this thing here?” Raj points at little badge on his jacket “And why is that?”

“You need to give me a recommendation. I don't see why you just won't—"

“Zip it. Not what I asked.”

“I need to show courage in the face of unspeakable danger.”

“Exactly. So quit your whining and follow my orders.”

Alec pulls Simon towards the kitchen “let’s go." After clearing the kitchen they exit the back door, Alec looks around, there's only two viable escape routes “Okay. I'll check the parking structure, you go that way. Stay in communication range.”

“But, Alec, Mr. G—"

“You can do this, Simon.” And with that runs to the parking garage. Or what he thought was a parking garage. It turns out its a warehouse.

After looking around with no luck in finding Magnus, he decides he better check in, he clicks a button on his smart watch “Simon, are you there?” He gets nothing but static in return. Looking up from his watch he notices a door at the end of the corridor, he decides to check it out. He starts to jog towards it.

Magnus is in some God forsaken warehouse with endless corridors, no windows and apparently only one door, the one he entered through. Its becoming apparent to him he may have to escape through said door, which he would rather not do since the place is probably crawling with Shadowhunters by now. He makes one last turn and spots it. Another door. Thank God! He starts to run for it.

“Oh, shit!” Alec says as his body collides with another, knocking them both to the ground. At the same time Magnus says “Oh, my God”

They both start standing and both talk at the same time both saying “I am so sorry.”

They finally look at each “Oh, my God.”

“Oh, shit.”

They draw and point their guns at each other.

“You're Magnus Bane.”

“You're a Shadowhunter”

“You have the right to remain silent..”

Magnus huffs out a laugh “You're reading me my rights?”

“Anything you say can and will be used against you” Alec looks to Magnus’s gun, closes his eyes for a split second and looks at Magnus “Okay, here's the thing.”

“Yeah?”

“I am really not up for dying today.”

“Me neither.”

“So I was thinking that....why don't you put your gun down.”

“Why don’t you put your gun down?”

“You're the criminal, and I'm the cop, so I think I'm technically more trustworthy.”

Magnus is getting frustrated “I was minding my own business on a blind date when you guys decided to rain shit all over me.” He spat out

“Wait” did Alec hear correctly “You were on a blind date?”

“Whatever.” Magnus mumbles

“With that Russian guy?” 

“What about it?”

“Nothing" you could do better is Alec’s first thought "I just-- I didn't know you were...”

“Why would you know?” Magnus notices the Shadowhunter looking at him strangely like he just found out the sky isn’t really blue

“Wow” Alec breathes out “That really torpedoes my thesis.”

“Your thesis?”

“I'm writing a term paper on you.”

“You're kidding me.”

“No, it's for Capes and Capers: the Criminal Mastermind. It's a really popular class.”

“Oh, come on” He's got to be joking

“But it's hard because there's only anecdotal evidence about you. I mean, nobody's actually ever spoken to you.”

Magnus cocks his head and smirks “Until now.”

“Right. Until now.” Alec stares at Magnus and Magnus stares back, both trying to figure the other one out.

“Who are you?”

“Oh, God, sorry" Alec shoves his gun out of his hand and in between his other arm and body, he holds out his right hand “Alexander. Lightwood. But everyone calls me Alec"

“Magnus Bane.” This boy is Fascinating. Gorgeous and fascinating and..

“It's really nice to meet you. You're still, you know, under arrest.” Alec takes his gun back into his right hand

“Am I, darling?"

“Alec" they hear his team calling from within the warehouse

“Or you could just let me go” Magnus continues with a flirtatious smile

He thinks about it for a second “I really couldn't” he says apologetically

“Come on. Haven't you ever done anything you're not supposed to?”

“Alec, where are you?”

Alec turns his head towards the voices “I'm over here” he turns back to face Magnus, who is gone “Son of a bitch!”

Simon is the first to reach him, followed by the others “Oh my God, are you okay? We couldn’t reach you"

“I'm fine.”

“Well, what happened?”

“He was here. Magnus Bane was here."

“That's impossible” Raj states “If he was here, you'd be dead right now.”

“You guys” Simon says, as he bends down to pick up a diamond. As they look around, they see the floor is covered in them

“Sweet Jesus” Isabelle looks in awe ”Do you know what this means? You are the only one ever to fight Magnus Bane and live to tell about it.”

****

Magnus gets into the awaiting car and him and Jace speed off “What a disaster!” Jace growls out “I am so sorry.” Jace continues his rant “Leave it to the Shadowhunters. You're in town a week, and they're all over you, just grabbing—” he looks to Magnus “What?” he doesn’t recognise the look Magnus is giving him “Really, what?”

Magnus smiles “I met somebody.”

Jace slams on the breaks and faces Magnus “I knew it! Ok. It was a little weird, the thing about the dance but I had a feeling you and Nikolai"

“No, no, no. Jace, Nikolai was a train wreck.”

“I'm not following you.”

“Okay, first, swear to me you are not gonna freak out about this.”

“Freak out about what? Why would I freak out?”

“You know, sometimes you..”

“Oh, my God! Who is it?”

“Okay, what do you know about an Alec Lightwood?”

“Alec Lightwood. The boy from the smuggling op?”

“No”

“No?” Jace thinks, then it comes to him “Oh, my God. Alec Lightwood? Black hair. Black outfits. Hazel eyes. He's a Shadowhunter”

Magnus can’t contain his smile but tries to hide it for Jaces sake who is, as predicted, freaking out.

“Magnus. Okay, not only is he a Shadowhunter, he is _the_ Shadowhunter. He is the perfect score.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Magnus asks, a bit offensively as he gets out of the car

Jace also gets out of the car and walks around to Magnus “Alec Lightwood is the only person ever to get a perfect score on the secret test”

Magnus smirks, of course his Shadowhunter is smart “give me the keys Jace.”

“What? Are you listening to me Magnus? Perfect score means perfect spy. He is their pride and joy, he is literally their poster child.”

“Yeah, well, their poster child doesn't know it yet, but he's into me.”

He takes the keys from Jace “You can't be serious.”

“What was it you said? Back on the horse?” Magnus smirks and gets into the car, drivers side this time

Jace stands stunned “Where are you going?”

“Back.” And Magnus drives off

“P.S. He's straight!” Jace shouts at the cars taillights

The car comes to a hault and Jace gets in. He knew Magnus wouldn’t leave him just like Magnus knows Jace will always help him with everything. Even winning the heart of a Shadowhunter.


	3. Chapter 3

“Stay here and keep the car running, just in case"

“Magnus I beg of you" Jace doesn’t get to finish, Magnus is already out of the car and making his way to the Shadowhunters house.

Magnus stands outside the stately home, looking for an entry point. He spots it, open window, second floor. “All right, Shadowhunters, show me what you're made of.” He pulls out his hairspray and points it at the walk way leading to the house, he pushes the button down and the spray shows the hidden blue florescent lasers protecting the front perimeter. It’s good he thinks. Not good enough to keep Magnus Bane out, but good. He stretches his body and does a couple of neck rolls and then he is off. Hopping and somersaulting and rolling and dancing to imaginary music and climbing making his way to the open window with ease ”piece of cake.” Now he just has to find Alec’s room.

After peering in several rooms, he finally finds him, sound asleep in a black t-shirt and joggers with adorable little snores escaping him. He makes his way over and gently shakes him “Alec"

“Hmmm" Alec slowly opens his eyes then widens them in complete surprise at who is leaning over him “Oh, my God!” he rolls out of bed and gets in fighting stance. He advances on Magnus and flips him, he hardly gives Magnus a chance to stand when he stalks forward throwing a punch that Magnus side steps, grabbing Alec’s arm, flipping him in return.

They both stand, facing each other. Alec is advancing on him again but stops when Magnus puts his hands up in surrender “Okay, just hold on.”

Alec keeps his fists up “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

“Why?” probably to kill me

“Well” he puts his arms down “I was thinking..” I like you. Nope, too honest “about what you said about your paper.”

“My thesis?” what kind of trap is this?

“Uh huh. Look, I think it's stupid for you to do outdated research when you could come straight to the source.”

“You?” definitely some sort of mind game

“Come out with me. I'll let you ask me anything.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Alec spots his cross bow on top of his dresser, he grabs it and aims it at Magnus, who puts his hands back up in surrender “I can't go out with you.”

“Why not?” Magnus sounds... hurt

“Like, a zillion reasons!” Alec lets his guard down in that moment

Magnus takes advantage and kicks the bow from his hands and catches it, pointing it at Alec “Well now you have to come out with me.”

Alec rolls his eyes but concedes and puts on his shoes. Magnus has him turn off any alarms and lasers. As they exit the front door and walk down the path Magnus hears a twig break, he turns and fires the cross bow, catching Simon by the shoulder of his cardigan, pinning it, and him, to the tree.

Alec stalks over to him “Simon, what are you doing here?”

Simon wiggles out of the cardigan “I don't know who that is, but he ruined my jumper!” He walks towards Magnus in a huff “I don't know who you think you are...”

“Simon, no!”

As soon as Simon is in front of Magnus he freezes “oh shit"

“Well, Stanley, I guess you’re coming with us" Magnus leads them to car, putting Simon in the back with Jace and Alec up front with him. Simon doesn’t correct him in using the wrong name, it’s probably a good thing he doesn’t know who he is.

Simon can’t take it anymore. Jace had been looking at him really hard for the entire car ride. Like if his eyes were lasers Simon would definitely have a hole in his head by now “what is your problem?”

“Did you go to Haulton?” Jace asks him

“What?” Ok. Not what he was expecting “Um.... Yeah?” Simon tries to recognise him from school “why? Did you?”

Jace gives the widest grin “uh huh.” And with that answer he stops staring at Simon and starts staring out his window his smile not leaving his face

The longer the drive the more antsy Alec gets, everybody has been quiet for awhile and he still doesn’t understand what is happening “Where are you taking us?"

“Where do you want to go?” Magnus answers flirtatiously

“Home!” Simon shouts from the back seat

Magnus just smiles and presses harder on the gas. Their speeding through a tunnel, Magnus takes a hard right driving through a road barrier. They pass several do not enter signs but Magnus doesn’t slow down not even when a solid wall starts to appear in front of them.

“What are you doing?” Alec wonders aloud. He swears he heard Simon scream as they approach the wall but just as they are about to crash into it they drive through it. It was some sort of illusion. They pull up in front of a building swarming with bikers and other people, the neon sign above it blinks Pandemonium.

Magnus turns off the car, gets out and bends to look back inside at Alec “Come on.” Alec crosses his arms across his chest and looks back at the tunnel. Magnus can tell he’s looking for an escape “Look, these tunnels go on for miles so you guys could be lost in there for days, even weeks.” Jace gets out of the car and closes the door, Magnus shares a look at him and shrugs “Okay. Suit yourself” and they walk towards the building leaving Alec and Simon in the car.

Alec watches as they enter the building. He seriously can not believe he is in this situation, there has to be a way out. “I have to pee” he hears Simon say. He turns and gives a look like he’s being stabbed in the back. He really doesn’t want to follow Magnus in that building, who knows what’s going on in there “fine. Lets go in."

Inside the club is crowded, loud techno is blaring, people are dancing or standing around drinking, no-one is paying them any attention. Simon taps his arm and points to the toilet sign. Alec gives him a nod and a signal that he’ll wait for him. He starts to slowly walk around trying to get a sense of any danger. He spots Jace at the bar drinking a beer, when they make eye contact Jace smiles and nods his head to the right making Alec follow his line of site. And there he is. Magnus Bane sitting in what appears to be the VIP section staring directly at Alec with a knowing smirk as he beckons him over. Alec hangs his head and sighs, he looks back up and makes his way to Magnus.

Magnus looks up at him “Want a beer?” he says as he holds up two fingers to the bartender.

“No"

“Come on” he pats the seat next to him “Sit down.” Alec looks around nervously before deciding to sit, the bartender places the beers on the table and leaves. “So. How long have you been a Shadowhunter?”

Alec just looks down, rubbing his thumb and finger together. What is taking Simon so long?

“You're gonna have to talk to me sooner or later.”

“I don't know what you expect to accomplish by bringing me here” Alec finally says

“Would you lighten up. Look. I know there must be a shit load of questions you're just dying to ask me. Come on, tell me about your thesis.”

Alec presses his lips together, he’d actually like to talk about it but “It's stupid”

“Well, try me.”

Alec glances a look at Magnus, pulls his upper lip between his teeth and exhales “I guess... my central hypothesis is that as a person who inherited his illegal businesses you felt the need to overcompensate by being exponentially more ruthless and diabolical than your established fathers reputation.”

Magnus squints at him “I am not more ruthless.”

Alec cocks his head “I think an argument could be made that you are, i.e. we're here.”

Ok. Can’t fault him on that one “That's... interesting. Continue.”

“And I think that these psychological forces combine to create a kind of emotional void in which you're incapable of loving or being loved.”

“You see, that is so not true” Magnus says grabbing his beer and taking a big swig of it

“What?”

“I'm open to love” Magnus sees a look on Alecs face like he doesn’t believe him “I am!” he puts the beer back down a little harder then necessary

“I'm sorry. It's just a theory.”

“Well, what the hell do you know about it anyway?

“Nothing.” He didn’t mean to make him angry “look. I just broke up with my girlfriend, like” he checks his watch “five hours ago.”

Girlfriend!? Magnus gives him an understanding smile “I'm sorry, that sucks.”

Alec smiles back at him “Thanks.”

“Why did you break up with her?” besides the fact that your gay

“I don't know, it just... it wasn't....” Alec takes deep breath and turns to face Magnus, tucking one of his legs under the other “I think love should be irresistible, like a drug. I think when it happens you should just not be able to help yourself. I just... I wanted...”

“...more.” Magnus finishes for him

Alec nods “yeah" he exhales a breath “I’m sorry. I’m babbling.”

“No. You're not at all.”

“This is so weird. I....why aren't you killing me?”

Magnus laughs “I’m not into that"

“But you killed those agents in Antarctica.” He read the reports, it was brutal. The bodies were missing fingers and toes

“They died of frostbite or something. I never even met them.”

“And those ATF guys in Peru?”

Magnus shrugs “Ebola.”

Alec is looking at Magnus in wonder “You're so not what I expected.”

“Well, I think that's a good thing.”

Alec agrees and smirks at Magnus “Soooo, what's up with Nikolai?”

“Oh, God” Magnus covers his face with his hands “he was such a head case.”

“Where do you even meet someone like that?” Alec laughs he’s not sure when it happened but he’s comfortable with Magnus. Light. Free. He grabs his beer and takes a drink

As Magnus and Alec continue talking. Jace finds Simon and talks him into a game of foosball. Much to Jace’s chagrin Simon is kicking his ass at it “Jesus Christ!” he mumbles as Simon wins the game

“Yes!” Simon exclaims “so. Haulton?”

“What about it?”

“I just wondered.... I mean, I don’t remember you from there. How did you remember me?”

“Oh, I remember everyone of importance from that hell hole”

“But I wasn’t important? I was just some nerdy nobody who kept his head down and managed to make it out without too many emotional scars"

“Maybe if you didn’t “keep your head down" you would have noticed me”

Simon can’t disagree and is about to tell Jace so when he looks over at Alec to make sure he’s ok and notices he is relaxed, leaning a bit closer to Magnus. He’s laughing, drinking beer and not acting at all like a kidnapped victim “Correct me if I'm wrong but your friend appears to be hitting on my friend.”

“You're not wrong.”

“Yeah, but my friend's not into that.”

Jace just shrugs and smiles at Simon “come on, one more game"

“....so Lydia's just, like, all over me, and I just-- I just feel like she doesn't get me, you know? Do you ever feel like nobody understands you?”

“Yes, all the time.”

“I am really glad I met you.”

“I'm really glad I met you too.”

They just stare at each other. Alec bites his lower lip “I should go.” He shakes his head and sits up

“Okay?” Magnus sits up as well, frustrated that it appears they are back to square one. He tries to think of that saying, something about two steps backwards and

Alec takes a deep breath and faces Magnus “Am I gonna see you again?”

One step forward “Do you wanna see me again?”

“I mean, I'm breaking, like, eight federal statutes being here with you right now.”

“Yes, I know” and two steps backwards

“I could get kicked out of the Shadowhunters for this.”

“For what?” Magnus looks down to Alecs lips and back up to meet his eyes. Their both leaning closer to each other, Alec closes his eyes and Magnus thinks one step closer, their lips are just about to touch

“OH MY GOD!” Simon shouts “He almost kissed you. You almost let him!” Alec jumps up and runs out of the building.

Magnus drops his head shaking it “and two steps back.”

Jace holds out his hand to Simon “You owe me fifty bucks.”

Magnus gives Jace and Simon a death glare as he stands to go after Alec. He catches him by the arm “Alec...”

“Take me home" he can’t believe what was just about to happen

“Alexander...”

“Please. Just take me home.” He pulls out of Magnus’s hold and gets into the car

The car ride back to the Shadowhunters house is mostly quiet, just the occasional whisper from Simon or Jace. They pull up and park a few houses away. As soon as the car is stopped, Alec gets out and storms away

Magnus gets out and chases after him “Alexander, It's okay.” But Alec keeps walking “Alexander... please”

“What?” He stops and faces Magnus

“Well, when can I see you again?”

“You can't.”

“Come on! I know you feel what I feel”

“I'm serious Magnus. We cannot do this again.”

Simon gets out of the car “Alec, lets go”

“I have to go.” He turns from Magnus and starts walking away

Magnus stands there for a moment then calls out to him “I'm gonna come find you!” As he gets back in the car he looks at Jace and shrugs “I love a challenge”

Simon catches up to Alec “What just happened?

“Nothing happened.”

“He was totally going to kiss you.” He sees what he thinks is the beginning of a grin on Alec’s face “Oh my God! You're so into him!"

“I am not!”

As if to prove his point Simon tells him “You violated a prime directive. Plus, hello, he’s a man. You're so busted”

“No, I'm not.” Alec stops and points a finger in Simons face “You violated the section codes as much as me. Shadowhunters Code Section 1, Article 2: Shadowhunters will not consort with a known enemy, under penalty of treason."

Simon crosses his arms across his chest “I was not consorting.”

“I saw you exchange phone numbers with Jace.”

Simon shakes his head “That's not the same.”

“Last year you got drunk and nearly got the chancellor of Bulgaria killed.”

Simon uncrosses his arms and throws them up in the air “That wasn't my fault!”

“Remember how I covered for you? I never told anybody. If Raj found out about that you would never ever get your stripes and never graduate.” It’s dirty bringing this up. It’s underhanded, but Alec can’t let what almost happened get out to anyone

Simon looks like he’s been slapped “I can't believe you.”

“Not a word Simon. Nothing happened.”

They just about make it to the porch when Raj steps out and blocks their path, hands on his hips “Where have you two been?”

Alec takes a step back “I couldn't sleep, so I took a walk. I was really... upset...about...”

“...about Lydia” Simon provides begrudgingly

“Yeah, Lydia. Simon found me and kept me company”

Raj’s harden face relaxes and he drops his arms “Oh, yeah. I forgot, I'm sorry Alec. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine.”

“Good. You know, I can't stop thinking about Magnus Bane.”

“You too?” Simon asks sarcastically, Alec shoots him a shut up look

Raj doesn’t catch on “Yeah, I feel like he's playing some type of sick game of cat and mouse with us. I don't know. But, hey, you guys be careful, okay? And get some sleep.”

“Good night Raj" Alec says

Simon grunts and gives Alec an evil stare “Yeah. Be careful” he says as he shoves past him into the house

Alec flips him off behind his back and makes his own way inside.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning at the Institute Alec feels like everyone is whispering about him. Two girls stop him in his tracks “Oh, my God, is it true?” Girl one askes “Did you fight Magnus Bane?”

Alec is about to answer when girl two speaks up “I heard you cut off his hand. Does he have his hand?”

“What? Yes, he still has both of his hands.” Alec shoves past them “God."

“Everybody's talking about it.” Simon says, now walking in step with Alec

"About what?”

“How you met Magnus and lived to tell about it. They're calling you a hero, when, really, you're a slut.”

“Shut up Simon"

“A gay slut.”

“I'm not gay!”

Simon shrugs and walks away. He stops and turns to Alec “Oh, Mrs. Herondale wants to see you.” He turns back around and walks away

“What? Simon!” He doesn’t like these guessing games, he follows Simon into one of the classrooms and notices Raj and Isabelle standing in the back “What's going on?”

Raj can barely contain his excitement “Madam Herondale. She's coming down!”

“Here? Why? She never comes here.” Alec is not getting a good feeling about this. Suddenly the woman herself enters the class room with Mr. Garroway and a couple of other people Alec has never seen before. This is it. They’ve found out. They’re going to kick him out

Raj interrupts Alecs thoughts by storming forward like a man on a mission, hand extended “Mrs. Herondale, I would just like to say—”

“Who are you?” Mrs. Herondale asks with a smile, hand extended

“Raj Patel. It is truly an honour to...” he doesn’t get to finish or shake the women’s hand as she has pulled it back and now looks annoyed

“Raj Patel, my time is precious. You're wasting it.” She turns to the woman holding a thick folder “Where's the boy?”

Thick folder lady calls out “Lightwood comma Alec?”

Shit. Alec slowly raises his hand. Mrs. Herondale makes her way to him and looks at the other person that came with her “You” she says and Alec just notices that he has a camera. Mrs. Herondale puts her arm around Alec and the man snaps the picture. “Excellent” she grabs Alecs arm and pulls him to where a monitor is displaying his and Magnus’s pictures with some tagline about surviving to fight another day “We’ll take one over here too.” Another click of the camera “Excellent.” She pulls Alec again to the front of the class “sit" and so Alec does

“First” she looks at thick folder lady 

“Alec" she tells her

“Alec. Let me just say how delighted I am to meet you. When I heard that one of our own had actually engaged Magnus Bane and lived to tell the tale? I mean, Fred, over at Central Intelligence nearly peed his pants, he was so jealous.” Her minions all laugh at her little joke “This stunt is really going to put the Institute on the map.”

Thick folder lady clears her throat “Lisa from Interpol called to extend her congratulations.”

“I'll bet.” Mrs Herondale chuckled “This is just too much fun! Now, Andrew...” 

“Alec" thick folder lady reminds her

“Alec. We are going to need a description of the encounter.”

“The encounter?” Alec asks eyes wide. Oh God. They want to know about the almost kiss

“Everything that happened no matter how small or seemingly irrelevant.”

“Why?”

“To develop a profile, of course. Nobody's ever been this close to Magnus Bane before. You, for all intents and purposes, are our leading expert.”

“I don't think I'm an expert at all.”

“You underestimate yourself. I took the liberty of accessing your private files.”

“What?!”

"It's a Mad World: Magnus Bane and the Psychology of Criminality." Mrs Herondale reads the title of the folder she been handed 

“Oh, God.” This can’t be happening

Mrs. Herondale flips the folder opens and continues to read "Magnus Bane is at once a narcissistic sociopath and a victimized man-child eternally searching for the love of his father. His crimes could be viewed as a desperate cry for help. The more he steals, the deeper his feeling of emptiness." She closes the folder “Aaron"

“Alec" 

“Alec. I think you identify with Magnus Bane. I think he sees your pathos. You've got some dangerous union symbiosis going on.” She looks at folder lady “What's that movie with Jodie and the dog falls in the well with the lotion?”

“Silence of the Lambs” folder lady answers

“You're the lamb, Alec” Herondale continues “We can use that to our advantage. I'm putting you in charge of this investigation.”

“What?!” Alec and Raj say together 

“You are hereby promoted to squad captain.” 

“No.” Isabelle says looking heartbroken for Raj

Herondale looks over to them “Is there a problem?”

“Excuse me, ma'am, but I am the captain of this squad.”

“Mister...?”

“Patel.”

“Patel. There is a killer on the loose. There is no time for egos. This is not the Boy Scouts, this is espionage! We have a chance to do something here.” She turns back to Alec “You have a chance to do something. Don't let us down. Ready your troops. You head out at 1400. That's all.” And with that she disappeared as quickly as she appeared

Raj shakes his head, gives Alec a nasty look and shoulder shoves him on his way out of the room.

“Raj!” Alec chases after him “Raj. RAJ!”

“What?”

“I didn't mean for this to happen, I swear to God. I don't even wanna be captain.”

“That's just it. You don't even want it. Girls fall at your feet, the institute kisses your ass and Mrs. Herondale makes you squad captain. You'd be just as happy drawing in your stupid little book. I don't understand why you have to take away the only thing I have going for me.”

“Oh, Raj—”

“Just-- Whatever. It's fine. Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“You catch the son of a bitch"

Before Alec can make any empty promises the Institutes warning alarms starts to blare. Somewhere in the distance they hear someone yell “Magnus Bane is on the loose! Code 99" 

Alec and Raj share a look. Alec nods, “let’s go" they meet the others by the car. Alec pulls out his IPad to get the details needed, he programs the address into the GPS and they speed away

Mr. Garroway appears on the screen “the robbery is in progress. The bank employees are being held hostage. Magnus and his cohorts are still inside. Apprehend the suspect, recover the money. The bank is coming up on your left. Shadowhunters, be careful.”

Magnus and Jace are at the vault in the basement of the bank, watching their accomplices emptying it of all the money “Shadowhunters spotted en route. ETA two minutes” comes a voice over the walkie talkie

“Copy that” Jace replies and turns to Magnus “Shadowhunters, two minutes.”

Magnus pulls out a small mirror and applies lip gloss “Do I look okay?”

Jace rolls his eyes “This is stupid"

The Shadowhunters pull up in front of the bank. Raj turns off the car and looks to Alec waiting for instructions “Lightwood? The plan?”

“What? Oh, okay. Formation Alpha Kappa Gamma. Let's do this!”

They make their way through the front doors, hiding behind pillars, guns drawn, slowly advancing through the lobby “this level is clear, vault is downstairs...” Alec is about to give further instruction when a shadow wooshes by them

Simon points his gun toward the ceiling “What was that?”

Raj turns to face the way they came in “he's here”

Isabell narrows her eyebrows “he's watching us” another shadow shwooshes by them “Jesus”

Alec is walking away from the group looking around when he hears “pssst.” Magnus is poking his head around a pillar “come here" he whispers

“I can't” he mouths

Magnus rolls his eyes and disappears from sight. Alec is still looking at the pillar like he expects Magnus to pop his head out again “What are you doing?” Raj nudges him

“Nothing. Let's go” he leads them down the steps towards the vault, each of them hugging the walls and checking inside rooms as they go

The third door they come to holds the hostages, all bound and gagged. Simon looks at each of them, they don’t seem injured, he backs out of the door telling them “We'll be right back.”

They make a final turn and the vault is in front of them, door wide open, no robbers in sight. It doesn’t sit well with Raj “Wait, wait, wait. Hold on, hold on.”

“What?” Alec says

“It's a trap.”

Alec rolls his eyes “Whatever Raj" and starts moving towards the vault again

Raj grabs his arm to stop him “Wait!”

“Why are you giving me such a hard time?”

“Fantastic. This is great. Could you two..” Isabelle doesn’t get to finish

Raj holds his hand up in her face and turns back to Alec “If you're gonna do the job, do the job right. Creepy shadows, no bad guys, enclosed space. Trap.”

“You think I can't handle it?”

“No. I know that you can't handle it. I don't care if you are the perfect score. You wouldn't know Alpha Gamma formation if it was tattooed on your forehead.”

“Guys” Isabelle chimes in again “This is stupid. We are going to die.”

Alec shakes his head at her “No, it's okay” then with determination steps into Raj’s personal space “As your senior officer I order you to secure the vault, soldier.”

“You _order_ me?”

“You heard me.”

“Fine.” Raj stalks forward, gun at the ready, the team following him into the vault

It’s empty and Alec is feeling smug “See, that wasn't so hard. I think you guys owe me an apol-- AHHHH" the tile he was standing on gave way and he’s falling down some sort of tunnel. The tile slams back into place and the vault door closes. Raj hangs his head “Trap.”

Alec lands on a pile of money bags, looks up to see Magnus “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to apologize for last night. I was-- I was out of line.”

“You have to release them.”

Magnus slants his head “Who?”

“The hostages! And put back the money. This thing has gotten way out of hand.”

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!” Raj curses with each swing of the handle of his gun that he’s banging against the vault door.

Isabelle pulls out a cigarette and Simon looks at her like she’s lost her mind “Please don't smoke.” She places it between her lips “Please?” She lights it “Oh, my God” he turns to Raj “tell her not to smoke. There's not enough oxygen. We're gonna run out of air and we're gonna be all faint and the air that's gonna be left is gonna be toxic.” Raj narrows his eyes at him, walks to Isabelle with a hand extended, takes the pack of smokes and lights his own, they both exhale smoke towards Simon.

“This is bullshit.” Raj says after his second hit of the cigarette 

Simon starts waving his hands to get the smoke away from him “This cannot get any worse.” Just then spikes extend from the ceiling of the vault and start to slowly lower towards them

“Trap” Raj says as he lowers himself to avoid the spikes

Alec is getting frustrated with Magnus “Don't you understand? I can't be here!”

“Look. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stress you out.”

“I'm not stressed out!” Alec shouts as he’s pacing back and forth. He suddenly stops in front of Magnus and lowers his voice almost to a whisper “I'm such a freak. You must think I'm a freak.”

“I don't.”

“I'm sorry I wigged out last night.”

“It's okay Alexander”

“It's just. I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I mean I really like you. But I don't, _like_ , like you.”

Magnus has a pain in his heart “Yeah. Yeah, sure. I mean I gathered. That's why I brought you here, so we could clear the air between us.”

“It's really sweet of you to go to all this trouble the chute and all. But my friends are gonna wonder where I am.”

Magnus shrugs one shoulder “no, they're not.”

“Why?”

Magnus inspects his nails “no reason.”

“Magnus!”

“Fine. Fine. I booby trapped the vault. They’ll be swiss cheese in about...”

“Oh, my God. Magnus!”

“Come on. It's not like they're gonna die or anything.”

“Let them out. I'm serious.”

“Okay. Jesus.” Magnus pulls a device from his pocket and keys in some numbers “Booby trap deactivated. Happy?”

“That wasn't funny.”

“It was kind of funny.”

“I can't...” Alec shakes his head to clear his thoughts “I gotta go.”

“No, no, I'll go. Look. I understand this whole thing isn't gonna work out between us because, obviously, I misinterpreted the whole situation. But I just want you to know that last night was the most alive I've felt in a while. So I guess I'll see you around. Same Bat-time or whatever.” Magnus turns to leave but

The thing is, its the most alive Alec has felt too. Alec grabs Magnus’s wrist and pulls him back, he looks into his eyes and surges forwarded finally tasting Magnus’s lips.

They both pull back just slightly and Magnus can’t help the smile breaking his face “come with me.” Alec just stares at him “Come on. What do you have to lose?”

“Everything.”

The sub-basement door slams open. Raj, Isabelle and Simon rush through “Oh, my God" Raj says as he notices diamonds spread across the floor and Alec’s jacket tossed to the side “Magnus Bane has Alec. You guys, he's been kidnapped.”


	5. Chapter 5

“A Shadowhunter is down” Mrs. Herondale spoke from the stage in the Institutes auditorium, now filled with Shadowhunters “We will spare no expense. We will leave no rock unturned. We will not rest until we see that he comes back safely.”

Raj, Isabelle and even Lydia, who were standing behind Mrs Herondale on stage, were nodding their heads. Simon rolled his eye’s and stormed off stage.

“What’s with him?” Lydia whispered to Raj who just shrugged

Simon made it to his room, closed and locked his door and pulled out his mobile. Of course he got Alec’s voice mail “Alec, where are you? I know you're out playing hooky with Magnus but they have the whole institute looking for you. Lydia, everybody. Call me.” He then sent a text to Jace and then joined his team in the search for Alec.

Alec felt like he was in some sort of dream. Since he fled with Magnus he has felt happy. After leaving the bank they drove for what felt like hours. They talked, they laughed, they sang the songs from the radio. Just when he thought it couldn’t get better, they pulled up to a cliff overlooking the entire city just as the sun was setting. Magnus hopped on the hood of his car and dragged Alec with him. He sat between his legs, his back against his chest. When the last ray of light fell out of site, Alec turned his head and kissed Magnus.

They eventually made it back to Pandemonium and, to Alec’s surprise, Magnus’s studio apartment that was in the back “You must spend a lot of time here to have a flat setup”

Magnus chuckled “well, I do own the place” he made his way to the bed and sat with his back against the headboard

“Right. Of course.” He doesn’t know what else to say because he notices Magnus wiggly his index finger, beckoning him over. With a wide smile he joins him on the bed

“How did you become a Shadowhunter?”

“I took the standard test at the end of the year. You know the one, right?” Magnus nods “so, then this mysterious man shows up at my school and hands me this letter which is like _Congratulations, you've just been accepted into The Institute_. And I'm like, "I didn't apply to The Institute"

“The government's freaky that way. So, what does it measure, this secret test within a test?”

Alec just shrugs “I don't know.”

“You never asked?”

“No. It measures spy stuff.” Alec watches Magnus get off the bed and walk to his drink cart. Magnus grabs a canister of some clear liquid, pulls of the cap, but before he pours into a glass he looks at Alec and opens his mouth to say something but closes his mouth and continues to pour drinks. “What?”

Magnus takes a sip of his drink “It's just weird that you let this test decide what you're gonna be, and you don't even know what it is.”

“It doesn't decide what I'm gonna be. It's an aptitude test. It measures aptitude, I guess.”

“Okay.” Magnus leans against the drink cart

“You should do what you're good at.” Alec says with conviction

“No, you should do what you love.”

“I am doing what I love. Why are you psychoanalyzing me?” he swings his legs over the edge of the bed, still sitting.

“I'm not psychoanalyzing you...”

Alec cuts him off “I mean, just because I'm not some badass master criminal doesn't mean that what I do is not important.”

“I didn't say it wasn't important.” Magnus downs his drink and starts to pour a new one

“Do you love a life of crime?”

He laughs “Yeah, I do.”

Alec crosses his arms “So you get a kick out of taking money from hard-working, honest people?”

“What is your problem?”

“I just—I don't think you should judge me”

“I'm not! I'm not the one that got picked out of a gazillion people to be Mr Super-Duper Crime-Fighting Goody-Two-Shoes.” Magnus puts his drink down, walks to Alec and sits next to him “I've never been perfect at anything. Look I didn't even wanna be a criminal. I wanted to be a pirate.”

Alec laughs and shakes his head at Magnus “Pirates are criminals.”

“Whoops.”

Alec takes Magnus’s hand and twirls one of his rings and whispers “I wanted to go to art school.”

“Art school?”

“In Barcelona.”

“You should go, you should do it.” Magnus pushes a strand of hair from Alec’s forehead

“Maybe. After I make the world safe from people like you” he says this with a wink and a smirk “I don't know what the test saw in me. Everybody thinks I am gonna make this perfect spy but me. I guess I'm proving them all wrong now.”

“Is that what you're doing with me? Sabotaging your spy career?” Magnus can’t help but feel hurt

“I'm here because I feel more like me when I'm with you than I do when I'm with me.”

“Look” Magnus cups his cheek with one hand “let's just forget we're here, okay? Let's pretend we're in Barcelona, you're in art school and I'm renting sailboats to tourists. And nobody is a superhero, nobody is a villain, we're just us.” Alec nods and leans in and before he knows it they kissing and falling back into the bed


	6. Chapter 6

Inside Pandemonium Alec and Magnus are sitting in a corner booth drinking and sharing a plate of fries. Magnus leans closer to Alec and whispers something in his ear that makes him chuckle, and, because Alec can, he turns and kisses Magnus. Their inside their own little bubble and don’t notice Nikolai sitting at the bar drilling holes in their heads with how hard he’s staring. He downs another shot of vodka and silently agrees with the voice in his head that he must stop their blatant display of happiness. He pushes back the bar stool, steps outside, opens his mobile and dials.

Raj has finally fallen asleep after a long day and night of questioning bad guys and searching the city for Alec. The sound of the phone startles him back awake. He stumbles from bed to answer the offending device “Raj here. This better be really good.”

“You are the Shadowhunters?”

“Who is this?”

“I know where your friend is...”

After getting all the information from the anonymous caller Raj goes through his routine wake up calls. He stops at Simons bedroom first “We've got a lead on Alec. Let's go.”

Simon sits straight up with a horrified look “Oh, no, no, no....” he races for his phone and calls Alec “Pick up, pick up, pick up....”

Raj then calls Lydia “Get your ass over here. We got a lead on Alec.”

Raj opens Isabelle’s door “We got a lead on Alec" he closes the door just to open it again “And no boys upstairs after curfew.” He hears her say “Out” as he closes the door again

Alec and Magnus are in bed making out. Alec is lying on top and is kissing down his neck when he hears Magnus shout “ow!” He stops and looks at Magnus “Oh my God. I'm so sorry.”

“Did you just bite my neck?”

“No.”

“Yeah, you did.”

“I was trying to be smooth.”

Magnus flips Alec around so he’s now on his back and kisses his neck and then bites down until he hears Alec say “OW!” Magnus just shrugs “What? You did it first.”

Alec laughs and flips them both over again “You're dead.”

Jace is in the control room sitting at a table with some other guards playing poker when he lays his hand down for the win “I am the god of poker" he exclaims as he pulls his winnings towards him. Suddenly one of the alarms starts going off and they scramble to the monitors to see the Shadowhunters. They grab their weapons and prepare to fight.

Back in the room Magnus has gained the upper hand, he is on top of Alec and has his arms pinned above his head “Say mercy. Come on. Say mercy”

Alec is struggling but still trying to flip Magnus “No! Never" he laughs. He can’t remember the last time he had this much fun

“Do you give?”

“No”

“Come on just give"

“No"

Suddenly they both stop squirming and Magnus smiles and looks into Alec’s eyes “Do you love me?” 

“Yes.” And just like that their kissing again completely unaware of the fighting happening outside the room

Guns and weapons have been forgotten and the fight has turned into a series of puches and kicks. Jace had just knocked Raj down when he turns to meet his next opponent only to have a fist hit him square in the face. It’s Simon. Jace grabs his arm and pulls him behind a wall “What the hell?”

“I’m sorry I couldn't stop them.”

Jace hangs his head then looks at Simon with a smile “You look nice.”

“Thanks” Simons cheeks redden “why’s it quiet" Simon looks up and sees Raj standing behind Jace

“What are you doing?”

Simon looks back to Jace and mouths “sorry" and punches him again, knocking him out.

They start making their way to the back and finally make it to the door they know Alec is being held. Raj signals everyone to go through and then he comes to a complete stop just staring at the scene in front of him. Alec and Magnus. Kissing. Naked. In bed.

“Oh, God” Alec grabs the sheet and pulls it up “It is not what you think.”

Raj just shakes his head, turns and leaves. Lydia on his heels

“I hope it was worth it.” Isabelle says as she too leaves

Simon is the last to leave “You really should check your messages.”

“Look, it'll be okay” Magnus says as he reaches for Alec’s hand

Alec just shakes his head “No, it won't. I have to go back"

Magnus is already getting dressed “of course Alexander, I’ll drive you"

Magnus dropped him off five minutes ago. They said “goodbye” but nothing else. Now he stands outside the Shadowhunters house, trying to be brave enough to go in and face his friends. He takes a deep breath, straightens his shoulders and marches through the front door. He hears voices coming from the sitting room “This is a nightmare. This is-- This is not happening.” He realises it’s the voice of Mrs. Herondale. Well. Now or never he thinks as he enters the sitting room

Their all in there. Raj, Isabelle, Lydia, Simon, Mrs Herondale, Mr. Garroway, and thick folder lady. He really should try to learn her name. Mrs Herondale breaks him of his thought “Are you kidding me? We conduct a nationwide manhunt for you and you're boning the suspect? What did you think this was, a joke? " _Let's divert federal resources and man-hours so I can have my collegiate gay fling in style_."

“I was... doing research.”

“I'll bet. Treason. Consorting with the enemy. Aiding and abetting. I'm going to be the laughingstock of the entire intelligence community. I am going to send you so far away that luxuries like toilet paper and Diet Coke will be as a distant dream to you.”

“Mrs. Herondale...” Raj begins

“Is somebody talking to me? Because that would be extremely ill-advised right now”

But he continues “Mrs. Herondale, this infraction is a considerable embarrassment to you and the academy, right?”

“Have I not been speaking in English?”

“Well, there is a way that we can turn it all around.”

“Explain.” 

“Make Alec Shadowhunter of the year next week at endgame. Nobody knows what happened tonight but us. What good would it do to send Alec to Siberia? Nothing. Your pride and joy will be disgraced, and for what?” 

Isabelle steps up next to Raj “Exactly.”

Raj nods at her and continues “So here's what we're gonna do. Tomorrow we're gonna go to class and we're gonna report that we rescued Alec just in the nick of time. And Alec is gonna act traumatized but cool. And he will go to endgame on Saturday with Lydia. And he'll give a speech about how he battled Magnus and lived to fight another day. And you, Mrs. Herondale, will get another feather in your cap. And we don't lose a valued member of our team.”

“But he's obviously in love with our nemesis. How can I make sure he won't run off again?”

“Well, let's ask him” Raj is now standing in front of Alec “The Alec that I know wouldn't sell out his friends and his country for some supervillain. The Alec that I know he must have been brainwashed or something. Maybe Magnus was doing some type of experiments with mind control. Because the Alec that I know would never, ever betray us like that. You didn't know what you were doing, right?”

Alec looks around the room to his friends “Right.”

“And there's no way that you're in love with him?”

“No. No way.”

“Good.” Raj then turns to Lydia “You'll keep his secret?”

“Are you kidding? No way I'm telling.”

Raj turns back to Mrs Herondale “Perhaps we can chalk this up to the indiscretions of youth.”

Mrs Herondale puts her hand on Raj’s shoulder “I underestimated you, Patel. Good work. I'll remember this when I review applications for the International Bureau.” She then turns to Mr Garroway “Have Mr. Lightwood vetted for information he may have on Bane’s whereabouts. He is to be placed on round-the-clock lockdown only out for missions and class.” Before she, Mr Garroway and folder lady leave she turns once more to Alec “Be grateful you have friends who care for you. Too bad it's more than they can say for you.”

As soon as their gone Alec turns to Raj to explain “Raj..”

“No.” He puts his hand up to stop Alec from talking “Shadowhunters stick together. But do not misunderstand me, I do not forgive you.” Raj then turns to Simon “And you. I don't even wanna look at you. You let me go on this whole time believing that he was in trouble. You can forget about that recommendation.”

Isabelle is next to have her say “well, you're not as boring as I thought but you are not as bright either” She follows Raj out of the room 

Lydia is making her way to leave “Lydia..”

“Don't.” She brushes by him without another word

Simon is the only one left and he looks heartbroken “Simon, I am so sorry.”

“All I ever wanted was to earn my stripes. Because I believe in it, you know? I believe in what we do. And now....” he doesn’t finish, just walks away like the others and Alec is left standing there. Alone.


	7. Chapter 7

Alec spent most of the next morning in an interrogation room wired up to a lie detector machine answering the same questions over and over all seemingly to have the same answers “ _I don’t know" or “no"._

“Where is Magnus Bane now?”

“I don't know.”

“Are you gonna see him again?”

“No"

It was lunch time when he finally made it out of interrogation. He made his way to the canteen and walked over to his friends table. No one looked up at him. No one acknowledged his presence. He pulled out a chair and sat down “hi" he started but didn’t get to say anything else. With the timing of a synchronized swimming team, his three friends stood, grabbed their treys of food and walked to the next table to finish their meal, leaving him alone.

“Hey” he heard from behind him and then watched as Lydia rounded the table and took the seat opposite him

“Hey Lydia"

“So you and me are going to endgame together?”

“Yeah. I guess.”

“I still love you Alec and I know you still love me too.”

Alec saw Raj watching and listening “Yeah” he said softly and offered her a tight smile

Lydia reached into her satchel and pulled out a corded shell bracelet “My dad got this on a drug bust in Malaysia” she said as she pulled his wrist to her, putting it on him. Alec just stared at it. It looked like something surfers would wear and It obviously came from a tourist shop. “Listen...” she starts again, breaking him from his thoughts “I’ve been thinking. That whole gay thing? It's kind of hot.” She stands kisses his cheek and whispers in his ear “see you later, babe.”

He watches Lydia walk away and Raj comes into his site line “You did the right thing.” All he can do is nod and smile

Later that night Alec is preparing for bed. He pulls the drawer open and grabs a t-shirt and joggers. Closing the drawer and turning to put his sleep clothes on the bed he is surprised to see Magnus standing there 

“Hey” is all the greeting he gets

“How do you do that?” it truly is impressive how Magnus can appear and disappear in the blink of an eye like he is somehow using portals.

“For a top-secret installation, your security really is for shit.”

“You can't be here.”

“Oh, I know” Magnus smiles and takes a step closer to Alec “You say you can't see me, and then I see you anyway. It's kind of this little game we play.”

“Get out.”

“Is this about your friends? Because if it is I can just talk to them, you know. We can work out some sort of détente.”

“I said, get out. I'm warning you.”

“Alec...”

Alec walks over to his night stand and presses his alarm which is blaring throughout the house “You have to go now.”

“It's your stupid friends. Why don't you just think for yourself for a change!” the door burst open and Raj is about to take aim with his gun but Magnus jumps out the window. Raj makes his way to window looking around the grounds, Magnus is nowhere to be seen “He's gone” he turns to Alec “Are you okay?”

Alec nods and is about to voice that he’s ok when an arrow comes through the window and gets lodged in the opposite wall, diamond encrusted handcuffs dangling from the arrow and a shout from Magnus “I thought you were different!” His finger tentatively touches the handcuffs and the memory of Magnus teasing him with them comes back _“come on Alexander, I promise you’ll love them.”_ He’s pulled from his memory when they all hear tires squealing away.

Jace is walking around their warehouse hideout tapping away on his IPad taking inventory. Or so he told his fellow comrades, he’s been texting with Simon and is just about to ask him to dinner when he hears talking from the command centre. As he gets closer he recognises Magnus’s voice “He thinks I'm bad news? Oh, I'll give him bad news.” When Magnus comes into view he sees he is typing furiously on one of the computers “what are you doing?” he finally asks

“Australia's toast.”

“What's wrong with Australians?”

“I don't like their attitude” he says as he finishes his typing and pulls a lever

“Okay” Jace pulls the lever back to where it was “Hey, come on” he motions to the couch.

Magnus grabs a half empty bottle of whisky, takes a swig and slumps down next to him “Jace, I don't know how this happened to me, but being bad doesn't feel good anymore”

“Do you love him?” Magnus looks at his friend and gives a nod “You're willing to give up all this” he waves his arm around the warehouse “the life of crime, the whole nine yards?”

“Whatever it takes.”

Jace sits up “All right, then. We're going in.”

“What?” 

“We gots to get him back” when Jace looks at his friend again he has the biggest smile he has ever seen in his entire life. And so they start plotting. To be good.

It felt like an eternity but Magnus and Jace managed to return stolen money, jewels, paintings, vehicles and make sizable donations to numerous charities. He’s even made the news reports a few times

_“...in a remarkable twist, sums of stolen money have been reappearing in bank accounts. Authorities are trying to determine the location of these wire transfers however, have been unsuccessful at this time.”_

_“The Louvre received a surprise package this morning a shipment of stolen paintings estimated to be worth €15 million. Insider sources say that the artwork was originally taken by notorious supervillain Magnus Bane..."_

And yet, he has not heard from Alec “he's out there somewhere” Magnus stares out a window. He was sure this would grab his attention.

“It's time for plan B.” Jace tells him

Magnus turns from the window and cocks his head “There's a plan B?”

“Yeah. You’re gonna love it"


	8. Chapter 8

Alec is in his room, laying out his suit that he’ll wear to end game in just a couple of hours when Mr. Garroway shimmers into his room “Getting ready for tonight?” He asks

“Hey, Mr. G"

“Tell me, Alec, how are you getting along?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“You know, I've found that in this business there isn't much room for love. Love requires trust, and trust requires honesty.”

Alec stops fussing with his suit and crosses his arms “Mr. G., can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“I got a perfect score on the secret test”

“Yes, you did” Mr G beams like a proud parent

“But what does that test measure?”

“I'm sorry?”

“I mean, Isabelle is a sex addict. Simon, he has a couple of shoplifting convictions. Raj? Well, he's borderline psychotic. But nothing in my past indicated that I'd be good at being a spy. So why did I get a perfect score?”

“The test measures your ability to lie. You are a perfect liar.”

“Oh" he uncrosses his arms and sits on the edge of his bed. He wasn’t expecting that

“Don't get me wrong. Perfect liars make perfect spies. The rest we can teach, but subterfuge? That comes naturally. Look, have fun tonight. Endgame only happens once a year. Enjoy yourself.”

He doesn’t know how long he sat on the edge of that bed just staring at the floor but he suddenly hears Raj yelling “the car will be here in 10 minutes!” he changes quickly into his suit and meets the others downstairs.

It’s a good turn out, Alec thinks as they walk through the doors to the ballroom inside the hotel the event is being held at. He sees the stage in the front where he’ll receive his award and give his speech. There’s tables all around and he decides to make his way to one to sit and wait for his moment but Lydia has different ideas and drags him to the dance floor.

Jace and Magnus are in a carpark with the hotels blueprints spread out on the bonnet. “Okay, what's the plan?” Magnus asks as he looks at the prints

Jace starts pointing at different locations “there's security here, here and here. We'll infiltrate through the rooftop and take out the guards here. Go through these vents, rappel down the elevator shaft and then bungee-jump down to the dance floor.”

“Okay, check. What next?”

"Tell him that you love him."

“Jace” Magnus growls out “that's your plan?” Jace looks up with a huge smile, very proud of himself nodding. Magnus throws his arms up “That's not a plan!” 

“War is easy. Love is hard” Jace mumbles. Magnus groans and grabs the blueprints and the tools he’ll need to try an execute the only plan they have. 

Raj is reading through the speech he drafted up for Alec to read, Isabelle and Simon at his side “Okay, so how's this?” _"My tour of duty behind enemy lines has taught me to remain vigilant to my core values: Bravery, loyalty and justice. And so it is a great honour for me to accept this award...."_ Blah, blah, blah."

It suddenly hits Simon he stares at Raj “What if he really loves him? I mean, what if Magnus makes him happy? If you were really his best friend, you'd probably let him go.”

Isabelle adds “You can't decide matters of the heart. It is madness to try.”

Raj looks at them both like they’ve lost their minds “It's time.” He storms off to the dance floor “Okay” he says to Alec as he pulls him away from Lydia and walks him to the stage “so I just wrote down a couple words explaining our version of what happened and expressing your gratitude at being honoured. And...” Raj stops and faces Alec and grabs his hand “l'm sorry that we've been fighting. It's just I really want what's best for you.”

“I know” he gives Raj's hand a squeeze before he lets go and continues on to the stage

“All right. Good. Your speech.” Raj hands him the paper as they stand shoulder to shoulder at the side of the stage to wait for his introduction

Magnus has made it through the roof top and is repelling down to where the vents are he is to crawl through. He’s going with most of Jace's plan but will have to rethink the bungee down to the dance floor part.

Mrs Herondale makes her way to the podium on stage “Attention, Shadowhunters!” she scans the crowd “and guests. Once in a blue moon an exceptional young person comes along who truly exemplifies what it means to be a Shadowhunter: Discipline. Energy. Beauty....”

Lydia is watching and sipping on champagne when one of her agents approaches her “Magnus Bane been spotted infiltrating..” Lydia spits the champagne out before the agent can finish. She pulls him aside and radios the other agents “Secure every entrance to this place, every floor. Nobody gets in or out without my say-so. Game over, Bane" she storms out of the ballroom, four agents following her

Mrs. Herondale is continuing on with her speech unaware of Magnus being in the building “I have spent my life defending this great country of ours and I have learned one thing: That sometimes it's not on the battlefield where true courage is shown. Alec Lightwood survived one of the worst tragedies that could happen to a young man. Kidnapped.” Simon rolls his eyes “Held hostage for seven terrible days.” 

Lydia is searching the hotel “Branwell here” she says in the walkie thats gone off 

“We're not seeing him" says the voice on the other end

“Look again!”

Alec feels like a coward as he just stands there listening to Mrs Herondale “What fears he may have known, none of us can fully appreciate. But he has agreed to tell us part of what he learned on his journey. It gives me great pleasure tonight to give our greatest honour The Raziel to our very own perfect score Alec Lightwood!”

Applause erupts and Alec feels frozen to his spot. Raj gives him a push and he makes it to the podium. He places the speech down and begins to read Raj’s words “Courage. Courage is a big word. I did not know what courage meant to me until I endured seven agonizing days in captivity” he turns to look at Raj who mouths “continue” and so he does “captured and held hostage by a madman. It was a routine mission gone terribly wrong. I was separated from my squad and knocked unconscious. I awoke in the arms of the enemy. Just the sound of my own desperate thoughts to keep me company...”

Lydia is walking down one of the halls when she hears noise from above. She stops to listen. She hears something, she points her gun towards the ceiling vents when her radio crackles “nothing here" is shouted over the radio making Magnus, who is crawling through said vent, freeze. Magnus reaches into his pocket and gets a handful of diamonds, he throws them to the other end of the vent to cause a distraction. It works. Lydia starts to shoot where the noise came from but then hears Magnus scrambling away and starts shooting towards him.

He must have crawled on a soft spot because he’s falling through the vent. He’s in a room but has no time to figure out which room or where. He picks himself up and makes a run for it. He pushes on doors down a corridor until finally one opens. It’s a balcony overlooking a ballroom and is that? Yes, he hears Alecs voice. A smile forms on his face as he makes he’s way to the edge and stands there to listen. He doesn’t realise Lydia followed him in and is currently holding her gun aimed at his head. 

“....If there is corruption in this city, Magnus Bane is behind it. If there is indecency to be found, he is the root. If there is evil in this world, its name is Magnus Bane...”

Magnus looses his smile but Lydia gains one

Alec is starting to falter “Um.. It's not until moments like this when you are forced to take stock of yourself that you see what you are made of. It's not until moments like this when you have to remember what's right and true because it's moments like this when you discover what it truly means to be a Shadowhunter” Alec looks out into the crowd, he closes his eyes and looks up taking a deep breath he opens his eyes and sees Magnus. Its just a moment but Alec finally knows. He gives him a smile, looks back at the crowd and continues “Which is why I can't accept this award from you tonight. Because the truth is the time I spent with Magnus Bane were the happiest days of my life. And the only brave thing I've done this whole time is what I'm doing now” he looks back up to Magnus, both smiling brightly. Lydia has lowered her gun in disbelief of what she heard. Alec doesn’t take his eyes from Magnus “So if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the devil.” Alec looks to his left at a fuming Raj and Mrs Herondale and makes a run for it to his right

Lydia is angry. She will not lose Alec to anyone. Magnus hears the gun cock and does a spin kick, removing the gun from Lydia and pushing her down in the process. Magnus picks up Lydia’s gun and runs from the room to find his Alexander

“Son of a bitch!” Lydia grabs her radio “Hostile has escaped and is on the run heading towards sector 12.”

Magnus stops to look at a hotel map to find the best escape. He doesn’t notice the girl with eye’s as big as saucers backing away from him. She runs into the ballroom and screams “It's Magnus Bane! He's here! Everybody, run for your lives!”

Raj finds Simon and Isabelle “Let's do this” he says and they join in the hunt for Magnus. Raj spots Alec, points him out to the others and they follow him

Alec is just running around a corner when he bumps into someone. He pulls his gun and points it at the other person automatically 

“We've gotta stop meeting like this” Magnus says as he lowers his own gun 

“I'm so sorry. I didn't even know what I was... ” he doesn’t get to finish because Magnus pulls him into his arms and kisses him. Alec throws his arms around him and deepens the kiss. 

“Get a room.” They hear and pull apart “You are AWOL, soldier.”

“Raj, please.” Alec starts to beg 

“Freeze!” Jace has his gun pointed at Raj’s head

“Jace!” Magnus says through clenched teeth

“Yeah?" 

“Not helping!”

“My bad.” Jace lowers his gun and backs away

“Can't you see? He's breaking up the Shadowhunters!” Raj tries to reason

Alec realising what this is really about for Raj “What did I tell you the first time I met you?” 

“High-protein diets were overrated.”

“After that.”

“That we'd always be friends.”

“I meant it" Alec is shocked when Raj aims his gun at Magnus “Raj!”

“If you break his heart, I will hunt you down and kill you.”

Magnus nods “Deal.”

Raj finally lowers his gun and smiles at Alec “I'm counting on you to keep him honest”

“I will" Alec tells his friend. They hear some sort of crash in the background

Raj gives Alec’s shoulder a squeeze “You guys better get going.” 

Isabelle gives him a hug “I'm sad to see you go.”

Simon is next to give a hug “So where are you going to?” 

“I think, Barcelona.” 

“I'll miss you. Can I have your room?” 

“Sure” he turns back to Raj “Rule the school.” 

“I always do. There's a service exit that way. Good luck. And, Alec? be careful.” 

Alec nods as he takes Magnus’s hand and follow Jace out of the building .

“Which way did they go?” Lydia asks once she’s made it to Raj’s team 

“They went that way.” Raj points in the opposite direction with a smirk on his face. He turns to Simon “Don't say I never gave you nothing” and pins on his stripes

“My stripes? Really?”

“Really.”

“Thank you!” Simon pulls Raj into a hug

“You're welcome” Raj pats Simons back “Okay, okay. That's enough.”

Jace opens the car door for Magnus and Alec and they climb into the back, sitting next to each other, Alec turns Magnus’s face towards his and kisses him. When he pulls back he asks “I was wondering if maybe you wanted—”

“Yes!” Magnus says

Alec chuckles “I didn't ask you anything yet.”

Magnus kisses him and breathes out “Whatever it is, yes.”


End file.
